


you lit a fire while i waited for more

by Wordsintothevoid



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bisexual Disaster Sokka (Avatar), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mutual Pining, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Slow Burn, Sokka and Suki are best friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26298715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordsintothevoid/pseuds/Wordsintothevoid
Summary: Zuko works a terrible job at a burger place to pay his tuition. Sokka is his (least) favorite customer. Snark, fast food mishaps, rivalry, study dates, and lots of gay yearning ensue.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

Zuko has a shitty job. If his father had made him CEO of the company like Zuko had wanted, he would made a rule that every single employee has to work three months at a fast food joint. Absolutely mandatory. But if Ozai hadn’t thrown him out at age thirteen without a dime and a burn scar as a bonus, he wouldn’t have known how terrible a food job is, so it’s a moot point. Still.

It’s been years since he left Ozai and Zuko graduated last year. Now he’s a freshman at college and he works this job to help pay for his tuition. Iroh has some money tucked away but they’re not rich by any means, and it’s days like this that have Zuko wondering if it’s possible to set up an Ocean’s Eleven type heist to get some cash off his father and his crooked executives.

He clocks in at Burgers-R-Us ( _ugh_ ), changes into his uniform, and then it’s business from three pm to midnight. It’s mostly cleaning tables and door handles, but when the dinner rush hits, he mans the cashier. He hates it, but Jet usually refuses to leave the grill and Mai is outright rude to customers, so it’s Zuko counting out change and punching in long orders.

Six pm. It’s peak rush time and Zuko has to keep reminding himself to breathe. People make him nervous and his anger is always ready to ruin things for him. He handles a frazzled soccer mom, an elderly couple who has no idea what they want, and a group of twelve-year olds. No one is kept waiting, no one gets upset, and slowly Zuko starts to relax as the rush dies down a little.

Until a guy about his own age steps up to the counter. Medium brown skin, surprisingly toned muscles (Zuko reminds himself not to notice), and gorgeous cheekbones. He orders and Zuko barely manages to punch it into the system. 

Is he single? Would it be weird if Zuko asked? Definitely weird. Hitting on people at work is just weird. _Idiot_ , Zuko thinks, clenching his jaw. But maybe he could just write his number on the guy’s receipt?

“Just a sec,” the guy says and Zuko focuses on him again. 

The guy turns to a pretty girl sitting at a table a few feet away, scrolling through her phone. “Hey, Suki, are you hungry?”

She shakes her head and the guy turns back to Zuko, smiling conspiratorially. “Better add an extra hamburger then.”

Zuko has to swallow down his disappointment, his mouth tasting bitter. _Of course._ Maybe his father was right. He’s a worthless queer who can’t even find a man to love him back. He gives the guy his receipt and he goes to wait for his order. No one else is waiting in line so Zuko goes to wash his hands and hide the longing that he’s sure is written all over his face.

Mai bumps his shoulder. “What’s your deal? You look like you spilled all your jasmine tea.”

Zuko rolls his eyes. She’s been there for Iroh showing up bringing tea for Zuko on a long shift. Most of the time, he brings some for Mai and Iroh tells Mai embarrassing stories about Zuko as a toddler until Mai has to go back to work.

“It’s nothing,” and he scowls at her so she doesn’t get the wrong idea.

She scoffs at him. “If you want to steal some ice cream and talk about it when we’re closing, I’ll be here.”

Mai goes off to scold Jet for something and Zuko goes back to packaging the guy’s order, still thinking about how striking he was. He hands out an order to a middle-aged woman who loudly insists she wanted a low fat salad and Zuko can’t understand how a salad _isn’t_ low fat. She’s holding up the line so he just hands her a coupon for next time, frustration simmering in his gut. Someone else’s card doesn’t work and he has to cancel the whole transaction and retype it so they can put in the correct PIN. Breathe, Zuko.

Finally, Zuko calls out the guy’s number and the guy comes up, the girl by his side. The guy hums to himself as he checks the bag and his eyebrows press together. “We didn’t get any fries.”

Zuko bites his lip and goes to get fries. He adds them to the bag but the guy is already saying, “And there’s no dip for the nuggets here either.”

Zuko grabs a handful of dips and all but throws them into the bag, his temper and embarrassment rising. He looks like an idiot who can’t even do his job in front of a hot guy and the guy in question is watching him with a half-indignant, half-pitying expression. He’s sick of customers, of this job, of _everything._

The guy puts his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders and Zuko snaps, all his anger and loneliness and frustration pouring out. “See, this is the reason all you goddamn straight men are trash.”

The guy levels him with a cool stare. “Wrong again, bitch. I like dick too. Can I get my napkins now?”

Zuko practically throws a handful of napkins at the guy and calls loudly, “I can help the next person in line.”

The guy shoots him a chilling glare and then leaves with his girlfriend. Zuko's hands are trembling as he takes the next order. Yeah, that was a dick thing to say but it felt good to vent some of his anger onto _someone_.

At the end of his shift, he closes with Mai and as they mop the floor and clean the machines, he tells her what happened. She laughs so hard, she almost overturns the mop bucket. He stands there, waiting.

She wipes her eyes. “You are _so_ screwed. I swear, if you don’t get fired in the next week, I’ll buy you half the menu. And you said _I_ was bad at customer service.”

All his anger turns to misery. He _needs_ this job and because he had to open his big mouth, he might not be able to afford his meal plan this month.

Mai notices and her expression softens. “If anyone asks, I’ll stick up for you. And hey, he said he’s into dick. If he comes in again, give him your number.”

He pushes her and she pushes him right back, digging her elbow into his ribs. They close and lock up but as Zuko’s emptying the trash, a thought occurs to him. He grimaces but starts to dig through old buns and stale fries, pulling out handfuls of receipts. When customers use a debit or credit card, the receipt prints with the last four digits of their card number and their name. He scans the papers quickly, tossing them back into the trash, until— _There_.

 _Sokka Hakodason._ A Water Tribe name.

Zuko sits back on his heels, holding the receipt. A thrill of satisfaction runs through him. Nice to meet you, Sokka. 

Until he reads down a little further. That motherfucker didn’t order nuggets _or_ fries. He scammed Zuko into giving him free food.

Zuko throws the paper in the trash. Fine, it’s _on_.


	2. park dates and early classes

Sokka pouts all the way back to the car while Suki rolls her eyes. “Do people honestly think I’m straight?” he asks desperately.

“Sokka, you do finger guns at every opportunity and wear floral button ups. I think you’re doing just fine.”

They get in, Suki at the wheel (“Don’t you dare think you can drive my car. I’m impressed your parents let you have  _ silverware _ ,”) and Sokka hands her a container of fries. “But hey,” he says, grinning, “free food.”

They bump containers together in a toast. “Seriously though,” Suki mumbles around a hamburger as she merges into traffic, “what are you going to do when something goes wrong? You can’t scam people for free food forever.”

He shrugs. “Why not? You know, I bet I can go back there and get a whole free burger.”

Suki rolls her eyes again and Sokka wonders if he should get her glasses for her birthday as a joke. “But why? This is the third time you’ve done this. I thought we were going to go to a movie.”

He searches her face, tries to tell if she’s messing with him or if she’s really upset. He decides on amused but he’d still rather avoid her wrath if at all possible. “Because it’s funny, I guess. I’m sorry I made you drive here and flake out on the movie.”

She softens. “I’ll forgive you. This time. But just because we broke up doesn’t mean you get to skimp out on watching rom-coms with me.”

Sokka grins, secretly relieved that the pain in the phrase “we broke up” has finally faded entirely. Having Suki as a girlfriend was great, but having Suki as a best friend and partner in crime is way more fun. “You drive a hard bargain, woman. I accept.”

Sokka checks his phone while she drives and they’ve missed all the good movies by now (when he says this, she gives him a terrifying glare and he pulls out his best baby seal eyes) so he pulls up a map and gives her directions to a park not too far away. She turns up the radio to a “oldies” music station and sings along loudly, deliberately screeching her voice on all the high notes to make Sokka wince.

Suki keeps a blanket in her trunk like the prepared goddess she is and when they get to the park, they spread it out on the grass and devour the remaining nuggets. The park is deserted now that it’s night, all of the screaming toddlers dragged home, and they look for constellations, Suki making up her own.

“See that right there?” She points at a random section of the sky and Sokka squints. “It’s a sword.”

He scoffs. “It’s four stars in a line. If you found a  _ boomerang _ constellation, then we’ll talk.”

She huffs. "What is it with you and boomerangs?"

"They're the perfect weapon!"

"Why?"

"They always come back." The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them. But he sees no judgement in her face. Suki understands. Always has.

They’re quiet for a minute, content to avoid the pressures of professors and tests and drama. Suki rolls onto her back and Sokka lies down next to her, staring at the sky.

“You thought that cashier was cute, didn’t you?” It’s not a question.

Sokka punches her lightly. “Would you let that go already? Pretty sure getting into a fight with a stranger is _not_ the setup to a meet-cute.”

She acts like she didn’t hear him. “What was his name again?”

“Zuko,” Sokka responds automatically. She starts snickering. “Hey, shut up, okay? He was wearing a name tag. It’s not that weird.”

“Uh huh. You guys could share scrunchies and stop stealing mine.”

Sokka props himself up on his elbow. “When have I even stolen your scrunchie?”

Suki silently points to his hair.

Sokka yanks the scrunchie out of his hair and flings it at her. “The question still stands!”

She just laughs until she cries.

They stay out way too late, Sokka asking stupid questions (Who would win in a fight, a duck or a goose? Do spiders have toes? Why does Uranus rotate sideways?) while Suki tries to make him shut up. They only pack up when Sokka gets a text from Teo, his roommate.  _ I love you, but if you’re not back in twenty minutes, I’m locking you out. _

The ride back to campus is quiet and sleepy, all glossy asphalt and smeared streetlights. When they arrive at Sokka’s dorm, Suki steps out to say goodbye.

“Hey,” she says, looking beautiful in the soft golden light of the porchlight. “I think you really should talk to that guy.”

He starts to protest, but her expression stops him cold, the words shrivelling on his tongue. He  _ does  _ want to see Zuko again, get to know him, and you know, apologize for being an asshole.

“Okay,” he says finally. “I will.” He hugs her tightly, full of gratitude for this amazing girl who still wants to spend time with him. Honestly, he’s so lucky.

She pecks his cheek and then she’s off, and he waves as she disappears, off to her apartment a few blocks from campus.

Sokka lets himself in. Teo is sprawled on the couch, sound asleep, laptop in dire peril of falling off his lap. Sokka plucks it from his limp grip and sets it gently on the coffee table. He throws a blanket over his roommate, makes sure Teo’s wheelchair is within easy reach, and finally collapses into bed.

Getting up the next morning feels like getting hit by a platypus bear. Teo, bless him, has made coffee and pours Sokka a cup when he staggers into their tiny kitchen.

“I would marry you,” Sokka says, taking huge gulps.

Teo, who hears this every morning, grins. “You wish.” Which what he always says. He starts cracking eggs into a bowl for their breakfast, tossing shells with into the trash with the panache of an athlete making the winning shot. Watching Teo mange around their accessible dorm is still pretty awesome and Sokka still remembers when they were in high school and Teo had to fight for a dorm that wouldn’t make him feel like a invalid or a child.

Sokka makes himself presentable, smoothing flyaways into his ponytail and getting rid of his horrifying morning breath. It’s a lovely morning, sky turning pink, just enough crispness in the air to remind you that autumn is here to stay. Until he checks the time.

“I’M LATE!”

Sokka barges into the kitchen where Teo is eating perfect scrambled eggs and checking his email on his phone. He looks up with a smirk. “Imagine having an eight am class.”

Sokka flips him off and piles eggs into a bowl, pours coffee into a thermos, spills the coffee on his shirt, stares at the stain in mute horror, slams the coffee on the counter, and runs to change his shirt. Teo laughs the entire time.

Three minutes later, clutching a disposable bowl and wearing a clean shirt, Sokka departs, striding across campus in the cool morning air. One kid literally sprints past him, backpack jouncing, and Sokka wonders what kind of desperation drives someone to  _ running _ .

He finally makes it to Physics I and lets himself breath because he’s still got two minutes before class officially starts. He lays out his laptop and notebooks, arranging stuff just so. He also takes the remaining moment to snarf down his eggs and toss the bowl in a nearby trash can to hide his shame.

Professor Bato gets up to lecture at exactly eight am and pulls up his PowerPoint. Sokka takes notes diligently until at fifteen minutes past eight, one of the doors to the lecture hall opens and Sokka looks up, feeling pity for the poor sucker who probably had a worse morning then he did.

It’s Zuko. He stalks in, sitting in the back, ignoring the eyes fixed on him. Sokka chokes on his coffee. Damn, it’s going to be a long year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you're wondering, I couldn't find a boomerang constellation but there is, in fact, a boomerang NEBULA! Check out this pic from NASA!
> 
> https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_405.html

**Author's Note:**

> i should not be allowed to write anything longer than a one shot, much less a slow burn but here i am. updates (hopefully) twice a week with chapters no less than 1k (pinky swear). Leave a comment if you liked it or if there's anything you'd like to see from the story!
> 
> This fic is inspired by an "imagine your otp prompt" that can be found here: https://jayreii.tumblr.com/post/185433179467/imagine-your-otp  
> Title is from the song Rollercoaster by Bleachers


End file.
